Written question asked by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat) on Wednesday, 25 November 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 30 November 2009. It was answered by Joan Ruddock (Labour) on Monday, 14 December 2009 on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

Departmental Taxis

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many miles (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department and its predecessors travelled by taxi in the course of their official duties in each year since 1997; and at what cost to the public purse in each such year.

Answer: The Department of Energy and Climate Change was established in 3 October 2008.Mileage information is not collected when taxi claims are submitted by officials using taxi hire companies. For ministerial taxi travel using the Government Car and Despatch Service where travel mileage is available the distance recorded for the period 3 October 2008 to 31 March 2009 is 915 miles.The total cost for ministerial and official taxi travel in the period 3 October 2008 to 31 March 2009 was £63,000.

Secondary information